As a current senior of the class of 2018 it’s hard to fathom that four years of high school have passed so quickly. Four years filled with amazing memories and lessons that have greatly impacted who I am today. With that said, it is not without fond memory that we remember the many significant events that took place during our time at the Castle on the Hill and the many firsts that our class had the honor of experiencing.We hope that future classes can look back at these momentous true milestones.

1.) Introductory class to the Ipads: Despite the initial confusion and and somewhat mixed feelings surrounding the integration of Ipads in school curriculum it is almost impossible to deny that it was one of the most interesting experiences for our class as a whole. No longer did we have to carry as many heavy textbooks around or struggle to organize massive folders filled with never-ending paper. Our experience was instead different than previous classes: importing assignments to Schoology instead of physically turning them in, and scrolling through ebook pages instead of flipping pages of a paper book.

2.) The Glen Bard goes online:  For a long while, The Glen Bard, the current and long-running school newspaper at West, had exclusively been known to be a physical print copy that would periodically be handed out to students each month. However, beginning the 2015 school year this all changed when the paper became an official school news website with articles being released online and updates of articles being published sent out through social media. While this was a drastic change The Glen Bard still keeps with its tradition and releases paper copies throughout the year.

3.) Air Conditioning comes to West: The year 2016 saw a major improvement to school ventilation. During the summer air conditioning was finally installed. No longer did students have to trudge through the suffocating heat of the school hallways or breath a sigh of relief once they reached one of the few air conditioned spaces in the school. The whole school now provided cooling during the hot summer months.

4.) Extension/construction of the new science wing: That same year the new science wing was built. The three story modern glass building that has become an extension of our current building became the new home to various chemistry and physics rooms, along with additional seating for students and a “green” roof. The building which has provided a lot more room to account for incoming students and has proved a great addition for the science department at West.

5.) 100 years of Glenbard West graduations: It does not escape our class that we will be the 101st graduating class at Glenbard West. The class of 2017 became the 100th graduating class at Glenbard West, with the first class graduating in the year 1917. At that time continuing an education past the eighth grade was rarely seen. Since then,  immense changes in the school have been witnessed and the class of 2018 is just one more representation of that change.

6.) Finals moved to before break: Winter break for many used to be both a long awaited two week vacation from school and the time used to cram for the first semester finals. However at the end of last year Dr. Monaghan announced that in aligning with many other schools throughout Illinois, Glenbard West would not only move finals forward but also shift the entire school schedule, meaning school was to instead begin a week earlier and in turn end earlier.

7.) The ‘Write Place’ opened: At the end of last school year applications went out to incoming students inviting qualified english students to become writing tutors for Glenbard West’s first writing center. Fittingly named ‘The Write Place” the Center and its tutors led by Mr. Whitman take appointments during lunch periods in an effort to help out students that may want extra help with essays and other writing assignments for class.

8.) School and Nationwide walkout: On February 14 this year 17 students and staff in Parkland, Florida were shot and killed by a gunmen sparking both rage and mourning across the nation. Following the incident, survivors planned to stage massive nationwide walkouts from schools at 10 a.m. on March 14 for 17 minutes to honor the 17 lives lost at MSD high school. Glenbard West, organized by the student council and school staff also participated with a large number of students taking to Duchon and honoring the victims.

9.) Glenbard West received a $10,000 grant towards the Theater Department: This year West became one of only 50 high schools to receive the R.I.S.E. (Recognizing and Inspiring Student Expression) grant from NBC. The grant which goes towards the school’s theater program was sponsored by the upcoming show on NBC aptly titled “Rise” which emphasizes the struggles of a high school theater department and its impact on the surrounding town. The theater department has been extremely grateful and have big plans to put the award to good use.

10.) The many state championships won by athletics and extracurriculars at West: 2015 was the year that saw Glenbard West’s varsity football team win the IHSA State championship, a victory that was gladly welcomed by students and staff, but the four years that the class of 18 have experienced have also seen a flood of other achievements. From the boys volleyball team and the girls track team winning state in 2017, as well as the girls gymnastics team win at State to big successes for the forensics team and Theater Department.

While it is with both great nostalgia for the past and excitement for the future that the class of 2018 leaves Glenbard West, it is also with great awe and admiration for the amazing four years that we have experienced and hope to look back on in years to come.